Adjustable bending dies



R. J. DE JONG ADJUSTABLE BENDING DIES Jan. 4, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 9, 1963 INVENTOR. lQ/C'f/APD J. deJONG 147' 7' ORNE Y5 Jan. 4, 1966 R. J. DE JONG ADJUSTABLE BENDING DIES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 9; 1963 INVENTOR.

lQ/CHARD J. oeJO/VG ATTORA/EVZ Jan. 4, 1966 R. J. DE JONG ADJUSTABLE BENDING DIES 5 Sheets-Shea t 5 Filed Sept. 9, 1965 Ill m [I IN VEN TOR.

United States Patent 3,226,969 ADJUSTABLE BENDING DIES Richard J. de Jong, Des Moines, Iowa, 'assignor to Pittsburgh-Des Moines Steel Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Sept. 9, 1963, Ser. No. 307,468 2 Claims, (Cl. 72 413) This invention relates to adjustable bending dies, and more particularly to those used for shaping tapered plates to form segments of a cone.

Cylindrical bins, hoppers, tanks and the like often are provided with downwardly tapered bottom Walls. That is, the bottom wall may be in the shape of an in.- verted cone or'frustum of a cone built from downwardly tapered and transversely curved plates that are joined edge to edge. The transverse curvature of each of these cone. segments has a progressively longer radius from the lower end to the upper end of the platebecause the diameter of the cone naturally is greatest at the top. Bending of the tapered plates for this purpose presents a problem, especially when it is desired to, build cones of different sizes.

It is an object of this invention to provide bending dies for forming cone segments, the dies being adjustable for different contours. Another object is to provide adjustable bending dies that are relatively inexpensive and can be quickly and easily adjusted to the desired contour.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a press equipped with my dies;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a cone Segment that can be formed by the dies;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the bottom die;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the bottom die, with part of its die plate broken away;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the right-hand end of the die in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the top die, with parts broken away;

FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the top die, with part of its die plate broken away; and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of the left-hand end of the die in FIG. 6.

Referring to the drawings, the top and bottom dies are mounted in a press 1 of any suitable construction, with the bottom die B stationary and the top die T movable vertically toward and away from it. The bottom die has a rectangular base plate 2 that is several times as long as it is wide. Extending across the top of this oblong plate is a series of contour plates 3 that are disposed in laterally spaced parallel relation in a row extending lengthwise of the base plate. The contour plates stand on edge, where they are held by spacers 4 of uniform length that engage their sides. Preferably, each spacer is a section of a metal channel. The spacers and contour plates are pressed tightly together and then the two endmost plates are detachably fastened to the base plate, which can be done by screws or bolts, although it generally is more convenient to do it by tack welding 5. The spacers and the rest of the contour plates are not fastened to the base plate.

All of the contour plates have substantially the same length, but the upper edge of each is curved vertically from end to end, preferably to form a concave surface as shown in FIG. 5. Starting at one end of the row of plates, the left-hand end in FIGS. 3 and 4, the radius of curvature of each successive plate is smaller as the opposite end of the row is approached. This means that although all of the contour plates have the same height 3,226,969 Patented J an. 4, 1966 at theif ends, their height at their centers is progressively less from one end of the rowto the other. The exact curvature or concavity of each plate depends upon the curvature of the cone segment that is to be formed.

The contour plates are covered by a transversely curved oblong bottom die plate 7. that conforms to the curvatures of the upper edgs of the contour plates and engages those edges. This die plate is detachably held in place, which may be done in various ways, such as by tack welds 8. to the two end contour plates. It will be seen that the curvature of the die plate is the same as that to be imparted to the tapered plates which it is to bend. a

The top die is formed in the same general manner as the bottom die. There is an oblong top plate 10 directly above the bottom die, and a row of laterally spaced parallel upper contour plates 11 beneath the top plate, as shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8. The contour plates preferably are held against the top plate by means of angle bars 12 secured to the opposite edges of the top plate and extending throughoutits length. The angle bars project inwardly toward each other beneath thetop plate and into slots 13 in the ends of the contour plates to support them. Each of the contour plates is, disposed directly above one of the lower contour plates.

The lower edge of each upper contour plate 1 1 is curved vertically from end to end to the same extent as the underlying contour plate 3, but in the opposite direction. Therefore, assuming that the upper edges of the lower contour plates are concave, the lower edges of the upper contour plates will be convex and the heights of all of the upper contour plates will be the same at their centers. However, since the curvature of their lower edges is progressively greater from one end of the row to the other, the heights of the ends of the plates will progressively decrease from one end of the row to the other.

The lower edges of the upper contour plates are engaged by an oblong top die plate 14 that is curved transversely to conform to their curvatures and therefore has the same curvature as the bottom die plate 7. Any suitable means, such as tack welds 15 to the end contour plates, are provided for holding the top die plate up against the upper contour plates. The latter are spaced equidistantly and prevented from tilting by suitable spacing members 16 resting on the top die plate. These members may be sections of a metal channel like the spacers in the bottom die. Thetwo endmost contour plates are detachably fastened to the top plate in any suitable manner, such as by tack Welds 17.

After a run of tapered plates has been bent between these dies to form cone segments, one of which is shown in FIG. 2, if it is desired to then shape segments for a cone of a different size the two die plates 7 and 14 are removed from the dies, the end contour plates are disconnected from the base plate and the top plate, and some or all of the contour plates and spacers may be removed. If some of the contour plates are left in place they may be spaced a different distance apart than before by means of spacers of the required length, or they can be moved toward one end of the dies and their former positions replaced by new contour plates having different curvatures from those first used. It all depends upon the shape of the new cone segments that are to be formed. If all contour plates are removed, they are replaced by other sets of plates having a different curvature. In some cases it may be desirable to retain all of the old contour plates but to increase their number and place them closer together, in which case it is necessary to replace the illustrated spacers by shorter ones.

When the dies have been set up with the new arrangement of contour plates, die plates are applied to them as aaeasea before. These may be previously formed die plates of the correct curvature to conform to the contour plates. If such plates are not available, a pair of flat plates or the old curved die plates may. be set on the lower contour plates and then all of the other components of the upper die, separated from the press, are placed on the die plates in proper position. Following this, the top platen of the press is lowered to force the die plates to conform to the curvatures of the new contour plates. While pressure remains on the dies, the formed -die plates are fastened to the respective dies and the dies are ready for use again. v I

It will be seen that the dies described herein are readily adjustable for bending cone segments of different shapes,

so that an entirely different set of dies does not have to be stocked for each' different cone segment. The various components of the dies can be used over and over again for different radius cones. The cost of making the cone segments therefore is reduced materially.

I claim:

1. Adjustable bending dies for shaping tapered plates to form cone segments, comprising a substantially horizontal oblong base plate, a row of laterally spaced parallel contour platesstanding on edge on the base plate, spacers resting on the baseplate between the contour plates in engagement therewith, means d-etachably fastening the two endmost contour plates to the base plate, the upper edge of each contour plate being curved vertically from end toend, the curvature of said edges being progressively greater from one end of the row to the other, an oblong bottom die plate covering the upper edges of said contour plates and curved transversely to conform in place, a substantially horizontal and vertically movable oblong top plate above said die plate, a row of laterally spaced parallel upper contour plates beneath said top plate, means supported by the top plate suspending said row of upper contour plates on edge from the top plate, means detachably fastening the two endmost upper plates to the top plate, the lower edge of each upper contour plate being curved vertically from end to end to the same extent as "the underlying contour plate but in the opposite direction to form a pair of cooperating concave and convex edges, an oblong top die plate covering the lower edges of the upper contour plates and'curved transverselyto conform to their curvatures and the curvature of the bottom die plate, means detachably holding the top die plate in place, and spacers restingon the top die plate between the upper contour plates in engagement therewith.

2. Adjustable bending dies according to claim 1, in which the opposite ends of each upper con tour plate are provided with substantially horizontal slots, and said plate-suspending means are angle bars extending lengthwise of. said top. plate and projecting toward each other to their curvatures, means detachably holding the die plate beneath it and into said plate slots.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 474,661 5/1892 Holzappel 72-413 2,334,520 11/1943 Walters 72-413 CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner. R. CREPE, Assistant Examiner. I v 

1. ADJUSTABLE BENDING DIES FOR SHAPING TAPERED PLATES TO FORM CONE SEGMENTS, COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL OBLONG BASE PLATE, A ROW OF LATERALLY SPACED PARALLEL CONTOUR PLATES STANDING ON EDGE ON THE BASE PLATE, SPACERS RESTING ON THE BASE PLATE BETWEEN THE CONTOUR PLATED IN ENGAGAEMENT THEREWITH, MEANS DETACHABLY FASTENING THE TWO ENDMOST CONTOUR PLATES TO THE BASE PLATE, THE UPPER EDGE OF EACH CONTOUR PLATE BEING CURVED VERTICALLY FROM END TO END, THE CURVATURE OF SAID EDGES BEING PROGRESSIVELY GREATER FROM ONE END OF THE ROW TO THE OTHER, AN OBLONG BOTTOM DIE PLATE COVERING THE UPPER EDGES OF SAID CONTOUR PLATES AND CURVED TRANSVERSELY TO CONFORM TO THEIR CURVATURES, MEANS DETACHABLY HOLDING THE DIE PLATE IN PLACE, A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL AND VERTICALLY MOVABLE OBLONG TOP PLATE ABOVE SAID DIE PLATE, A ROW OF LATERALLY SPACED PARALLEL UPPER CONTOUR PLATED BENEATH SAID TOP PLATE, MEANS SUPPORTED BY THE TOP PLATE SUSPENDING SAID ROW OF UPPER CONTOUR PLATES ON EDGE FROM THE TOP PLATE, MEANS DETACHABLY FASTENING THE TWO ENDMOST UPPER PLATES TO THE TOP PLATE, THE LOWER EDGE OF EACH UPPER CONTOUR PLATE BEING CURVED VERTICALLY FROM END TO END TO THE SAME EXTENT AS THE UNDERLYING CONTOUR PLATE BUT IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION TO FORM A PAIR OF COOPERATING CONCAVE AND CONVEX EDGES, AN OBLONG TOP DIE PLATE COVERING THE LOWER EDGES OF THE UPPER CONTOUR PLATES AND CURVED TRANSVERSELY TO CONFORM TO THEIR CURVATURES AND THE CURVATURE OF THE BOTTOM DIE PLATE, MEANS DETACHABLY HOLDING THE TOP DIE PLATE IN PLACE, AND SPACERS RESTING ON THE TOP DIE PLATE BETWEEN THE UPPER CONTOUR PLATES IN ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH. 